Neighborhood Guide Professional

Information Provided about Lillian 's Coverage Area

Nightlife

Hyde Park is a mile from the “SoHo” (SOuth HOward) area, which has far more nightlife venues than any other part of Tampa. There’s nightclubs, pubs, and bars for dancing and drinks, as well as the city’s best restaurants and cafes for eating out. This neighborhood has earned recognition from the Washington Post and the New York Times for its nightlife, as well as local publications. The Hyde Park Village is another nearby hotspot for culture, and is home to great shops and boutiques that make for a fun day or night on the town. Tampa’s culture is certainly on the rise, and if you rent in North Hyde Park you’ll have access to the coolest spots in the city.

Demographics

North Hyde Park is predominantly an African-American neighborhood, as they make up 77% of the population in the neighborhood. Non-Hispanic Whites are the second-most prevalent population with 18% and Hispanics/Latinos were right behind at 14%. The Hyde Park community is located next to the University of Tampa, so you will also see a lot of students walking through the neighborhood on the way to school or from their apartments nearby. I should also mention that this is not a very wealthy neighborhood, and a quarter of the population is under the poverty line.

Apartment Costs

Somerton is far from one of the most expensive parts of town. Only one listing on this website right now is over $1000, and that’s because it has three bedrooms. It’s very possible to find a rental here from the mid-hundreds to high-hundreds. If you want a studio or one bedroom apartment, you’re looking in the $600-800 range. A two bedroom is $800-$1000, and three and four bedrooms are of course more. I think these prices are very affordable, and are in the same ballpark as communities like neighboring Bustleton, Academy Gardens, Rhawnhurst, and Holmesburry Torresdale.

Renter Friendly

If you’ve identified Somerton as a neighborhood in Philadelphia you’d like to rent in, you now have to go one step further: which district of Somerton do you want to live in? By my count, there are around ten or twelve different areas. There’s Londontown, Old Somerton, Brentwood, Camelot, Westwood, Lorraine Gardens... the list goes on. Many of these areas have their own distinctions when it comes to architecture, demographics, and rentals. But the most important factor for many is location. Where will you be working, or going to school? Thinking of your commute when you choose a district will help plan around public transit, or near a major road, or an area that’s within walking distance of where you need to be every day.

Nightlife

Mid-Cambridge contains mostly all of the nightlife opportunities Cambridge has to offer, and some of the best weekend spots outside of Boston. Central Square, to the southwest, has the Middle East club and music venue, ImprovBoston, and great bars. Inman Square is a part of town that’s been becoming more popular as of late, and has some of the best restaurants in Cambridge, as well as Ryles Jazz Club. This is probably the most hip part of mid-Cambridge. Harvard Square isn’t just for students--plenty of grads and adults go here for the bars and restaurants.

Public Transportation

There are two subway (T) stops in Mid-Cambridge: the Central stop in the southwestern corner of the neighborhood, and Harvard Square in the northwestern corner. If you live in this area, it’s likely that you’ll be within a 15 minute walk of these two stops or less, but when it gets cold out residents don’t want to make the trek. Fortunately, the MBTA (Boston’s public transportation operator) runs about a half dozen buses through the area. They stop everywhere from Union Square, Central Square, Inman Square, you name it. And they usually run every half hour, which is really convenient. Make sure you check the bus schedules and T locations before you pick your location--living near public transit is a must in Cambridge and Boston.

Recreation

The Mission Trail Regional Park borders Tierrasanta to the east, and is a mammoth space. It has 5,800 acres of forested land, making it the largest municipally owned park in the state, and the sixth-largest in the country. It has mountains, like the 1,500 foot high Cowles Mountain, and the San Diego River runs through it. It’s perfect for hiking, biking, and climbing; in fact, there are over 40 miles of trails for these types of activities. There’s also a large Visitors Center, which has a library, a movie theater, and holds exhibits throughout the year. There are other events that are also held in the park, such as photo contests.

Traffic & Commuting

A lot of people are discouraged from renting in Tierrasanta when they see its location: it’s ten miles from both downtown and the ocean. But really, when you live here, it feels much closer. Interstate 15 runs through Tierrasanta, which is super convenient for residents. They’re able to just hop on I-15, cross over to Route 15, and then they’re right in downtown. Without traffic, this drive can take fifteen minutes or less, depending on how fast you drive. Or, once you’re on I-15, you can switch to Interstate 8 or 805. Renting in Tierrasanta gives you great access to a lot of major roads, which is very helpful for commuters.

Renter Friendly

The good news about renting in Mission Bay is that there are always plentiful listings to choose from. In fact, right now there are over a hundred on this site. The bad news is that all of these listings have sky-high rent. Unless you want a studio apartment, you’re going to have to pay over $1,750 a month for most properties here. Is it worth it? Well, it’s a tropical paradise that is warm year-round, and offers more oceanside recreation (sailing, wakeboarding, swimming, sunbathing, you name it) than you can imagine. If you have the budget to afford it, this is one of the best places in the country to rent.

Recreation

If everywhere in the country were as beautiful and pleasant as Mission Bay, there wouldn’t be a single unhappy person in America. Everything from the sparkling water, to the white sand, to the tropical palm trees, is gorgeous. This is partly why it’s a hotspot for tourists -- although the largest reason is that it’s home to SeaWorld. But locals know where to have fun in the area too. The Sail Bay, Fiesta Bay, and the De Anza Cove all have great beaches or parks on their coast, which are perfect for kicking back with friends, enjoying a barbecue with family, or throwing beach parties. And not to mention, the western border of the neighborhood is the Pacific Ocean, which gives the community miles of oceanside beaches and coastline.

Renter Friendly

Before you look at the rental data for the Financial District on this website, you should be sitting down. Because mostly all of the jobs on Wall Street are high paying, landlords are asking for $4000 or $5000 to rent in the district. Of course, for less money (say, in the $2000-$3000 range) you can live in a studio or one bedroom apartment. It may be ludicrous to think that for the price of a studio apartment here you could live in a larger luxury apartment nearly anywhere else, but if you work in the area you can probably afford it. And with its location and amenities, it is definitely worth a high price tag.

Economy and Jobs

All of New York’s major financial businesses, as you would expect, are located in the Financial District. This includes Wall Street, which has become so iconic for the stock trade and big businesses that tower over it. In this district you can find the NASDAQ, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), and many famous banks. It’s arguably the most important, and one of the largest, financial centers in the entire city. If you’re looking for a career in any of these related fields, there isn’t a better place to have a job in the entire country. Not only does this district influence New York City’s economy, but the world’s as well.

Weather

Seattle has the reputation of being a rainy city, and this is true to an extent. It ranks in the top 10 of U.S. cities with the most rainfall in the winter, but in the summer it actually ranks in the bottom half of all cities. Winters generally have little sunlight and a lot of rain, so they can be depressing if you’re not used to it, but is this any worse than the snow that most of the country gets? And, without a question, the summers make it worth it. The city only receives an inch of rain in August and .8 inches in July. It’s a dry season, and isn’t too hot. The temperatures generally stay in the mid-70s or low-80s, which is perfect in my opinion. Don’t think of Seattle as rainy year-round; the winters are gray but the summers are radiantly sunny and warm.

Economy and Jobs

Amazon, the online shopping site, is arguably one of the most successful companies to ever be founded in Seattle, and is still growing. Just recently it announced that it was going to spend a billion dollars to create a campus in South Lake Union, and it will serve as company’s world headquarters. This is going to be great for the community... jobs will open up, buildings will be constructed, the economy will be boosted, and more families will move to the area. But I also think that it will encourage other businesses to move to the area, which will really create a strong job market here. You should keep this and your career in mind when you’re considering where to rent.

Demographics

Silver Lake is the type of neighborhood where every block represents a different type of population that is the polar opposite of the previous block. As of the last census, the three largest populations here are Hispanic (41%), White (34%), and Asian (18%). However, a group known as “hipsters,” or very stylish young adults, have been flocking to the neighborhood. I think the largest reason behind this is the music scene, which really caters to the young adult crowd and makes this a trendy place to live. The creative class (which is larger in LA than arguably any other city) also have a large presence in the area, and in often cases, the hipsters and young adults are also members of the creative class.

Local Events

If you’re a music fan, there isn’t a better LA neighborhood to live in than Silver Lake. It has become known as a center for various musical genres, but more than anything else, alternative and indie rock music. The community celebrates its love for music with two huge annual street festivals. They are the Sunset Junction Street Fair and the Silver Lake Jubilee. If you’ve lived in other parts of the city than you have probably heard of them. These events have attracted high profile names like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Tom Waits. Also, the popular band the Silversun Pickups is from the Silver Lake neighborhood. If you live here, you will be able to attend a slew of incredible local concerts every year. The local music scene can be appreciated in any of the neighborhood’s music venues, bars, or even the street.

Nightlife

The neighborhood’s close proximity to Downtown gives it an advantage to renters because of all the nightlife opportunities that are just a mile away from them. But they shouldn’t overlook the nightlife that is located in the Old Fourth Ward. It is a veritable nightlife option, as it has become a thriving district for bars and restaurants. Most of these businesses are on Edgewood Avenue, and they span from bars that are recognized by Food and Wine magazine to small dive spots. Also, the Masquerade, one of Atlanta’s best music venues, is located here too.

Traffic & Commuting

Downtown Atlanta is a smidge over a mile west of the Old Fourth Ward, which amounts to about a five minute drive, or if you’re up for it, a 20 minute walk. For public transportation, there’s a rail stop (King Memorial) off Decatur Street. The most useful part of the neighborhood for commuters by far is the east side, which is where the Downtown Connector is. This is where Interstates 75 and 85 merge, and can take you either into the city to downtown, or the loop south of it, or out of town. It all depends on where your job is, but if you drive every day you will absolutely get a lot of usage from it.

Renter Friendly

Within the East Villages are individual districts that you’ve probably heard of if you’ve looked for rentals in the city before. Alphabet City is by far the largest, as it comprises two thirds of the village. Over the last ten years this neighborhood has become one of the trendiest areas in the city, or as the New York Times said, “the epicenter of downtown cool.” The other districts are the Bowery, St. Marks Place, and Loisaida, which also have some great perks and are worth a close look.

Schools & Education

NYU has been expanding into the East Village for quite some time now, especially with student housing. The school is closeby and it makes sense for this neighborhood to be home to students and faculty. But a lot of the community feels like the school is encroaching on the community--especially its historic sites that they are purchasing or tearing apart. But don’t let this deter you; NYU’s development in the area has added diversity and more income. Plus, if you’re an NYU student looking for a rental, this is probably one of the best places in the city to call home.

Public Transportation

Near South Side is a little over a mile from downtown Chicago, which pushes it just outside of walking range for most people (especially during the cold winters). Luckily, there are several forms of public transportation that are available to people who live here. There are two subway stations: the Roosevelt stop in the northern part of the neighborhood, and the Cermak-Chinatown stop, which is on the southeastern border. There’s also a rail stop, 18th street, and bus stops throughout the community.

Recreation

The Near South Side is home to some of Chicago’s most iconic sites. The most famous is arguably Soldier Field, which is where the city’s professional football team (the Bears) play. There’s also the Shedd Aquarium, McCormick Place (the largest convention center in North America), the Museum Campus and its Field Museum, and the Adler Planetarium on Northerly Island. There are also a handful of awesome parks, and if you rent here you will be in close proximity to Chicago’s other neighborhoods.

Demographics

Upper Arlington is a fairly affluent and family-oriented area. 60 percent of residents in the area are married couples, and a third of all residents live in a household that has at least one child under the age of 18. In fact, only 32 percent of residents are non-families. The median income for a family is $112,575 according to the most recent survey. This easily doubles Ohio’s average of 48,370, and the national average, which is around $50,000. Upper Arlington may boast wealthy families, but if you keep checking the listings here it’s possible that you can find a rental without having to spend beyond your budget.

Local Events

Even though Upper Arlington is just five miles from Columbus’s city center, it’s considered it’s own city--not a Columbus neighborhood. This means that residents shouldn’t have to rely on traveling into the big city whenever they want to have some fun. And this is something they don’t have to worry about. Upper Arlington provides numerous annual events; most of them are thrown by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department. The Winter Festival and its tree lighting is a personal favorite, and as for the other three seasons there’s the Spring Fling, Summer Celebration, and Fall Fest. However, not all the events are based around seasons. The “Movie in the Park” is a summer event where free movies are shown in the city’s parks, and the summer also has a local farmer’s market and a music series. Columbus isn’t the only city in the metropolitan area that knows how to have fun year-round.

Demographics

Dorchester is largely a working class neighborhood. It’s very diverse, and with its large Irish American population, it embodies the Irish culture that Boston is known for across the world. There are also sizable populations of African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians. A new trend appearing in Dorchester is the arrival of groups like gays/lesbians, the young professional, recent college grads, and artists. These new populations have definitely added a new look to the area.

Crime & Safety

Dorchester has a negative reputation in the city for its high crime, even though people claim that the area is getting better. The stats certainly don’t back this up: in both 2009 and 2010, about half of the city’s murders (48% and 44% respectively) were in Dorchester, even though the neighborhood is only home to around 15% of Boston’s population. And when you look at where the other murders took place, most of them are in the neighboring areas of Roxbury and Mattapan. So, yes, there is validity to Dorchester’s crime-ridden reputation--it’s one of the most dangerous communities in Boston.

Restaurants

East Liberty’s revitalization has created a thriving culinary scene in the neighborhood. In fact, it’s one of the strongest in Pittsburgh right now. Abay and Tana are two Ethiopian restaurants that are a block apart, but it never seems like one steals customers from the other. They’re both very popular spots on the weekend. East Liberty’s diversity is present in the restaurants here, whether they offer Ethiopian, Caribbean, Belgian, Chinese, or good old American food. The neighborhood continues to flourish as each year goes by, and the restaurants really help propel this growth.

Renter Friendly

Just 20 years ago I wouldn’t have told recommended clients to live in East Liberty. It was a low-income and dangerous area of the city for 30 years or so. But in the 90s there were positive signs of growth, and these initial signs snowballed into larger initiatives taken by the city to improve life for East Liberty residents. The New York Times actually wrote a piece about the neighborhood’s revival, which certainly attracted a lot of attention and new residents to the area. Two years after that article was published, this community is still undoubtedly on the rise. It fosters a plethora of new businesses--especially restaurants--and cultural sites like music venues, and has attracted established corporations, upstart companies, and retailers as well.

Public Transportation

The public transit in this area is fairly new, as rail services were built less than ten years ago. They are operated by MUNI, the city’s public transportation service, and replaced a decrepit bus service that wasn’t nearly efficient enough for residents here. This project also spruced up parts of the neighborhood with street lamps and landscaping. Downtown San Francisco is about five miles away, and you can access it via the light rail or bus systems here.

Apartment Costs

Much of the Bayview area has been experiencing redevelopment for a of couple decades now. A lot of great residential and recreational space has resulted from it, but the construction is far from over. Parts of the neighborhood have been labeled as Economic Activity areas, which will be popular spots to build commercial space. Right now, the average rent in the area runs in the mid $2000s, but when the community is fully revitalized the real estate will be worth much more than that. So while other neighborhoods are more established than this one, you are definitely getting great value if you rent here now while the prices are low.